


the long way home

by hanorganaas



Series: The Righteous Son. [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark Rey, Drama, Family, Family Feels, Identity Issues, If Only it Could have been this way, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 08:34:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8884024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanorganaas/pseuds/hanorganaas
Summary: A long time ago, Han Solo and Leia Organa made the painful decision to fake Ben's death and wipe his memory to save him from Surpreme Leader Snoke. However that doesn't stop the First Order from rising to threaten the galaxy. With Luke Skywalker in hiding, Leia sends Ben's childhood friend Poe Dameron to find Ben on Jakku and help bring him home.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly this turned out to be an accidentl AU whoops XD. But I hope you enjoy it! Have a great holidays!

_“I have to go, my father says it’s to protect me...” a pale skinned boy with long dark and equally as dark eyes said as he squeezed the hands of his oldest and dearest friend, someone he hoped one day would become more._

_“Will I ever see you again?” his friend responded. There were tears welling up his dark eyes._

_“Maybe someday,” the pale skinned boy sighed. He wasn’t sure. All he knew is his father told him he was in danger from the scary old man who talked to him in his sleep and his father was taking him somewhere to be safe._

_The friend stepped back and reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace. The tears had escaped and were falling down his bronze cheeks. With silent tears he placed the necklace, a gold pendant in the shape of a X-Wing, over the pale boy’s neck._

_“To remember me by,” he whispered._

_“BEN! WE NEED TO LEAVE!” a voice called._

_The pale boy looked sadly into his friend’s eyes. With a sigh he took his friend’s face in his hands and looked long and deep, memorizing every detail of his face. Moments later his lips touched his cheek._

_“Until we meet again,” The pale boy whispered._

* * *

Poe was setting up his X-Wing to head to Jakku. He was about to leave D’Qar to go on an important mission. A man, Lor San Tekka, had vital information that could lead him to legendary Luke Skywalker. No one had seen or heard from the Jedi since his daughter Breha went to the dark side and now with the information relayed from them from a spy for the resistance masquerading as one of Snoke’s top Agents about a system destroying spaceship, it was vital they would find him.

There was a rush of adrenaline that rushed through his body. It always did.

As they loaded BB-8 into the fighter, he was approached by General Leia Organa Solo. Poe stood tall. The General was an old friend of Poe’s father, so this wasn’t the first time he interacted with her. But it also wasn't the occasional small talk of Leia checking in on him and asking about his life. This chance encounter was different. 

She wanted something. A side mission. It wasn’t the first time she did.

There were no formalities.She cut right to the chase. 

“There’s something I need you to do,” Leia uttered sternly. Poe responded by looking at her in attention. “While you are on Jakku, I need you to find this man.” 

The moment Leia lifted up her data pad and saw the holo-image that appeared, the breath had left Poe’s throat. It was a ghost. Someone from his past that haunted his memories for over two decades. 

“It’s…” Poe swallows.

Leia nodded. Her face shifted a little, maybe out of sadness, maybe out of excitement. Who knows but she quickly went back to her demeanor of the strong woman he knew and even admired at times. 

“Luke may not come back and help us considering what the result of our actions caused,” she explained, “he...Ben may be our last hope. He’s not going to remember you but if he has one shred of memory left...he may trust you. If that makes you uncomfortable….I’ll see if there is a way to contact my husband...he can go find him. ” 

Poe’s heart was racing so hard and so fast he could hear it in his ears. Ben….his Ben, the boy he always wondered what would have been had Snoke not weaseled their way into their lives. He may not remember him but if he triggered...something….maybe. 

“No ma’am,” Poe stated with not a hint of hesitation in his voice, “It will be my honor.”

Leia smiled and reached up to touch his shoulder.

“Thank you, Commander Dameron,” She said, “and May the Force be with you.”

* * *

The mission was a disaster before it even begun. Poe only got as far getting in the information that possibly led him from Lor San Tekka before the kriffin’ First Order decided to attack, bringing big ships and Kyade Rey with them. The sheer terror of knowing who was behind that mask, made him want to take BB-8 and flee the planet.

But he knew he couldn’t.

He had made a promise to the General. He was finding Ben and bringing him to to D’Qar. 

The moment he saw lines of menacing storm troopers he took off running. It was hard running through the sand. His legs were aching. His knees were tightening up. He could hear gunfire and screams causing his eyes to tear up. No, mission first, lamentations of failure later. 

There were times he tripped. He almost envied BB-8 and their round body and being able to navigate through such hell. Poe and his fellow droid ran for about five miles, far enough to realize in a desert so dark and no civilization in sight he had to find the nearest shelter to lodge for the night. 

Someone had to have had a.-

“OOF!” The resistance pilot cried out. 

Poe’s thoughts were interrupted when he ran headfirst into another human being. He didn’t have time to react. He was tumbling over the other person. They of them moving quickly down the hill. Poe landed on his back with the wind almost knocking out of him. The stranger landed on top.

“HEY LASERBRAIN WATCH YOU WHERE YOU ARE GOING!” The voice which Poe assumed to be the stranger he ran head first into bellowed. It was deep, profound, it reminded the resistance pilot of someone he knew from his past. 

Poe raised his hands in surrender. He was always a polite, running into people and acting rude was something he hated doing. So he tried to alleviate the situation immediately 

“I am so sorry, sir,” Poe croaked moving his eyes to meet with the stranger’s, “there was an attack on the-” He paused the moment his mahogany eyes met the stranger’s dark, almost midnight, eyes, the pilot did a double take. The stranger had charcoal black hair, freckles, and a defined nose. Just like….”Ben!”

The fact the stranger blinked in shock gave more than enough away that his second task to find Ben had succeeded.

“How….how do you know my name?” It was the last confirmation.

“I was sent to bring you to your family.”

Ben slowly rose to his feet slowly. Now that he was in the firelight, Poe could get a clearer picture of him. He obviously had a growth spurt, his dark hair was down to his shoulders and his skin was no longer pale but a more sandy color possibly from being in the sun. He looks alot like his dad, was Poe’s only thought. 

His face shifted to something pensive, as if he was trying to figure out if this man was lying. But cautiously Ben looked down at Poe.

“What’s your name?” Ben asked.

“Poe….Poe Dameron,” Poe answered.

Ben reached into his shirt and pulled out a pendant. An X-Wing pendant. Poe almost choked on his breath. It was the same X-Wing pendant he gave to him all those years ago before the boy disappeared without a trace. He still had it.

“I don’t remember much,” Ben stated letting out a hand for Poe to grab, the pilot grabbed it with ease. Fingers poking through sleeveless gloves were rough probably from years of working. Steady, Poe was moved to his feet. “But I do remember you giving me this, Poe Dameron, so I trust you. You know where my family is, show me to your ship.”

“Well, unfortunately my ship is destroyed from well,” Poe paused to pointed to the sky, “The First Order.”

“The Junker who I work for has a few ships in the yard,” Ben stated, “we shall take one of them.”

The resistance pilot followed his old friend into the night, with BB-8 trailing behind them. Poe couldn’t help but shake his head. It was just like old times, playing rebels and going on missions. But back then there were perils they just made up…..these were real dangerous lurking behind. Somehow the thrill of seeing Ben again and all this made the all more exciting.

* * *

Between the ship was flying out of Jakku, and sitting with the boy Ben had dreamt of, the scavenger was flooded with more fragments of his past. This time there were more detailed. 

Honestly this ship wasn’t that special. It was a piece of junk burning in the desert sun. The only reason he chose it in the first place was because the ship Ben intended on had exploded in another aerial attack by the First Order. But all it seemed familiar.

Sitting on the pilot seat, flying this thing seemed natural, as if he knew how to fly it before. 

“Your Mom is gonna kill me for this Benny,” a familiar voice echoed in his ear, “but one day this ship is gonna be yours might as well know how to fly it.” 

When the vastness of space filled his eyes, more memories came in even more confusing fragments. A woman with elaborate hairstyles. Pants adorned with red stripes. Even a creature five times the size of him with brown fur. He tried to piece them together. Were they his parents?

Suddenly the sound of Poe clearing of his throat broke him from his thoughts. The Scavenger turned his head to his traveling companion and raised an eyebrow. Maybe asking Poe some questions would clear some things.

“So how close were we for you to give me this gift?” Ben inquired.

A small smile grazed Poe’s lips.

“Pretty close,” He responded, “We always hung out on this ship. Sometimes we would sleep in the bunk as your father would tell us stories about working with your mother in the Rebellion.” He paused to chuckle. “Your mother was always correcting him.”

Ben could feel his own smile forming on the corners of his lips. He would ask more about his parents but he knew he would meet them soon. He was more focused on getting to know Poe. After all, he seemed to be a strong figure from his past. Perhaps once he got to know the Resistance Pilot…..

“Were we lovers?” Ben inquired.

A wild blush formed on Poe’s cheeks. 

“Well uhh…” The resistance pilot stuttered, “I mean technically we just met again...I don’t want to make things-”

Poe was about to finish his sentence when the ship violently started blinking and shaking. Alarmed Ben looked up and saw a large ship coming into their view. Was it The First Order? No, Poe looked a little spooked but not panicked enough for it to be a First Order Ship capturing them. The only thing Ben could do was control the ship away.

However when he did, the ship wouldn’t budge. It seemed to be on the path the ship was being pulled to wouldn’t budge. It kept going. There was only thing to do.

“We need to hide,” Ben stated. 

“There are plenty of places to hide on this ship,” Poe responded.

“How do you know?”

“This ship is the Millennium Falcon….it was your father’s.”

* * *

Ben and Poe used to play hide and seek here. They would hide in the smuggling compartments Ben’s father used to hide his spice in. He never he would be back here for a different reason probably a dangerous one. The ship they were on was a famous, anyone could have intercepted it. Enemy Smugglers? A relative of Jabba the Hutt? Empire Sympathizers?

It was dark. Poe could barely see anything. Only shadows but he could slightly see Ben crawling on the floor.

“What you doing,” Poe asked in curiosity. 

“One thing you learn while searching for scrap metal...anything could be a useful tool,” Ben whispered. To be quite frank Poe wasn’t surprised, he wasn’t a scavenger himself but he talked to a few in the Resistance that were Scavengers by trade. It was the first thing they would have done. “I am seeing if I can find a….AHA.” Poe could hear metal scraping on the floor. “Look’s like I found a-”

Ben stopped himself when the room suddenly illuminated with blue. The scavenger was holding a item with a silver hilt and a blue blade. Poe’s eyes widened. He knew exactly what it was. He saw it in history books. He heard about it in Legends. And now...he was staring at it with his own eyes.

“How did your father get that?” Poe choked in awe, “I thought it was lost on Bespin.”

“What is it?” Ben asked in curiousity.

“That’s a lightsaber,” The resistance pilot explained, “a weapon of a Jedi Knight….but that lightsaber didn’t belong to just anyone. It belonged to Luke Skywalker.”

Ben’s eyes widened as he turned his head to Poe. 

“Luke Skywalker,” The scavenger whispered, “I thought he was a myth…”

Poe opened his mouth to respond, but the hatch to smuggling compartment quickly unhooked filling the room with light. The adrenaline, surged through his body ready to attack whoever they may be. Ben seemed to figure out the lightsabers purpose and raised it in case he needed to use it.

But the moment Poe set eyes on his “captor” he relaxed. He was an older gentleman he knew far too well and trusted and boy, was he about to get the shock of his life.

“Poe Dameron? Hell kid, if I knew you were coming I would have had Chewie cleaned the place,” The old man uttered before setting his eyes on the scavenger in fighting position, “Hey you...drop the lightsaber I ain’t-” The old man took a sharp breath in his throat once he got a good look at the lightsaber wielding stranger and the blaster in his hand fell to the floor. His eyes watering, bottom lip quivering. Poe couldn’t help but smile as the scene became suddenly heartwarming. “Ben.”

Ben slowly lowered the weapon. His head tilting to the side in confusion as to why this old stranger was choking up.

“Do you know me?” The Scavenger inquired

The old man smiled through his tears.

“Of course I do Ben Organa Solo…..I’m Han Solo, I’m your father.”

* * *

“Wiping your memories and hiding you on Jakku was the Death Star option,” Han….no his Father said to him. Ben had heard stories about Han Solo, from them he didn’t expect for one him to be his father and two, for him to be affectionate. From the moment they sat down Ben’s father had never let go of his hand. The other touched his face and ran through his dark locks of hair. “But Snoke’s control of you got so bad, your mother and I decided that the only way to save you….was to let you go. I hope you are not mad at us.”

“How could I be mad at you? Ben answered, “If I am mad at anyone it’s Snoke.”

Besides Ben dreamed of this moment for years, why would he waste his anger on something done to protect him. He should be cherishing the fact he was here with his father, Uncle Chewie and his dear old friend Poe and soon he’ll be with his mother too, and even an adoptive brother waiting for him if he had time to come home from his apparently secretive resistance job.

“Very forgiving just like your Uncle,” His father mused. Ben raised an eyebrow Uncle? He couldn't have meant uncle Chewie. As if sensing his questioning, the old smuggler rested his hand on his cheek. “Finding out Snoke was trying to influence you to the darkside and that you have the force is enough to take in for one day, Benny. I’ll talk about your Uncle and your Grandfather another day.” Ah yes the Force...this power he had inside him he had no idea about, no sign and no warning. Ben would ponder that more but he wanted to take in this joyful moment. “Kriffin hell,Ben you look so much like me….he looks handsome doesn’t he, Poe?” 

Ben could see the blush form on Poe’s cheeks as he turned his head away. To be quite honest the scavenger wasn’t surprised. He knew they were close, close enough for Poe to give him the necklace. Ben felt his fingers unconsciously play with it again. But he couldn’t but wonder if Poe gave him the necklace because he loved him or because of a deeper meaning.

“He had such a crush on you Ben,” The old man cajoled in a whisper, “I think he still does.”

To be quite honest, the further he got on his adventure, the further Ben started to crush on him. He didn’t know if because Poe was deviously handsome or he opened up memories long forgotten. Or maybe it was a complex that he was drawn to him because he was the man he was bringing him home. 

He opened his mouth to speak but suddenly the ship abruptly rocked. Moments later Chewbacca, his father’s ever so constant companion came running into the room. Growling in concern. Ben watched as his father’s face turned white. There was something wrong.

“The First Order has intercepted us….kriffin Kyade Rey must have sensed Ben was on here,” The old man rasped. He looked over to the Wookie, “I am going to go distract them...no matter what happens when the coast is clear….I need you to get these boys back to Leia.” The Wookie growled and hugged his old friend. Ben took a sharp breath through his lungs….he knew what this meant.

“Father, no!” Ben cried. 

His father turned and hugged Ben tightly.

“You are my son,” the old man whispered, “I will do anything to keep you safe….even if it costs me my life…..take care of your mother for me Benny.” 

Ben literally clung onto his father as if he was begging and pleading for his father not to do this. But strong arms pulled him back. The scavenger's eyes were filling with tears. The only thing he could do as his father faded in the distance was scream.

* * *

“I have to go, Poe,” Ben was desperate, crying and pleading. Poe couldn’t imagine the way he was feeling. Getting back the one thing he lost only to lose it again. He could feel Ben hold his arms so tight his fingernails dug into his skin even through the tough leather of his jacket. As much as he hated watching Ben break down, but he had a mission…”I know my father had been captured by those monsters we can’t just leave him there.” 

He had to bring Ben home.

“You know I can’t,” Poe lammented. “I came here to bring the Map and bring you home. Your mom is waiting for you.”

Ben squeezed his arms a bit harder.

“Please...I just got him back,” He begged, “I can’t lose him…..”

Looking in Ben’s eyes, Poe was struck with a painful memory. How he was a little boy and his mother died after a brief and violent illness. He remembered as he watched helplessly as his mother faded away begging her to pull through. He wished it on no one….not even on his worst enemy. 

He couldn’t let Ben go through that.

“Alright I’ll come with you,” Poe stated.

Ben smiled almost in relief but he still looked scared. 

“Thank you,” He breathed, “Do we have a way to get in?”

“Oh yes we do….we have a man on the inside.”

* * *

The “Man on the Inside” turned out to be Ben’s adopted brother Finn Solo. With what little time they had between walking from the Falcon and the secret passageway to where his father was being held, Ben already seemed to know his brother’s life story. His parents had took the young man in after he was orphaned in a attack by Empire Sympathizing Terrorists. At a young age Finn was discovered to have force abilities and was sent to Luke Skywalker’s Jedi School…..it was where he met Breha Skywalker before she became this….creature.

It was his connection to the dark lord Kyade Rey and his Force sensitivity that got him this job as a spy. It made it easy to send information to his mother, and be Rey’s force of reason when she lost herself and at least try to undo the damage Snoke had done. 

“I wish we met on better circumstances, Ben,” Finn admitted with a small smile on his face. Ben had to admit, for being not of Solo blood, he still managed to have the same bright smile his father had, “I heard a lot of great things about you.”

“Perhaps when this war is over we will have more time to talk,” Ben responded. 

“Or sooner,” Poe added, “if Snoke finds out you helped us.”

Finn’s smile shifted to that of more of a confident one now. 

“Yes, but while Snoke may be force sensitive, so am I right now I am changing perception that two Stormtroopers are walking behind me,” He sighed. Ben nodded in approval-brilliant! Finn finally stopped in front of two doors. “Rey should have Father in there, I don’t know how much she has done to him, but do me a favor….Rey...she has a good heart it is just corrupted by Snoke…..be careful with her.” 

Ben nodded, he couldn’t make any promises depending on the number this Kyade Rey did to his and Finn’s father but he could try...after all she seemed despite her darkness to mean a lot to his brother. Finn gave quickly gave Ben a hug, which spoke in volumes that he was glad to have finally met him before leaving Poe and Ben to face this great enemy. 

“You ready?” Poe asked turning to Ben.

To be quite honest he wasn’t sure. The two of them just had blasters in addition to the lightsaber he had no idea how to use just in case. 

“Poe, incase we don’t make it,” The scavenger whispered, “I am sorry we didn’t…”

Poe reached for over to Ben’s hand and squeezed it tight. The scavenger didn’t know if it was a declaration, a promise or an unspoken word of comfort. But it’s familiarity put him at ease at whatever horror lied ahead of them.

“Don’t say that okay?” Poe breathed with a smile on his face, “We’re going to make it out.” 

It was all the strength the scavenger needed to go and with a deep breath he pushed and opened the door.

* * *

It was dark in that room. Really dark. The only thing that illuminated was a bright center of the room. Ben could see his father. He stood in the center with his hands bound above his head in chains. There were a few cuts on his face, but it looked as though he was holding his own.

The moment set his eyes on the woman...Kyade Rey, Ben’s blood went cold. She was dressed in black, with long flowing black hair and makeup. A image to go with the as frightening reputation. He walked in slowly careful not to make noise on the tile floor.

“Uncle Han,” the young woman tutted, “You are making this hard on yourself….just tell me where Ben is and I will let you go.”

“So he could be like you,” Ben’s father was quick to retort despite a weak voice, “You are going to have to kill me.”

Suddenly the familiar sound of a lightsaber filled the room. Ben took a sharp breath. No, he couldn’t lose his father. Not now and in front of his eyes. Suddenly he felt something rushing through his body. A surge of emotions, rage and fear coursed through his body. He could feel every cell charge up and ready to fire.

“I didn’t want to do this, Uncle Han, but you leave me no choice,” Kyade said putting her lightsaber into position. 

As the lightsaber raised in the air to make the final blow Ben felt the energy surge through his body. It would him up tight like elastic. And then he let go. He could feel the energy pulsing out of him. It moved through the air and hit Kyade Rey with as much force as it could muster. The young woman went flying backwards. She hit the wall with a sickening thud. Ben could sense she was still alive as her body fell to the floor but she was knocked unconscious.

Ben could see Poe at the corner of his eye standing there with his mouth agape and his eyes wide. Was he scared of him? The scavenger wouldn’t be surprised. He was scared of himself. He just wanted to save his father not hurt someone in the process.

“Ben get me down from here,” his father’s voice cried out. It brought him out of his trance. Ben took a deep breath and started releasing his father from his binds. He would deal with this later.

* * *

After an escape from the planet which remained a blur in Poe’s mind he found Ben in the bunking area sitting with his father. Han was fast asleep, probably as a way to recover from his industry.

“Are you scared of me?” Ben asked as Poe went to sit next to him.

“Over what you did?” The resistance pilot asked, “Yes...seeing that was frightening but you just found out you had the Force. Of course you are not going to get it right the first couple of times.” Ben looked down and sighed.

“Hey,” Poe whispered resting his hand on top of Ben’s, “You know why I gave you that necklace Ben?” The scavenger reached to fiddle with him, “Because I care alot about you and I always care a lot about you. Now you could be different from the way that I remember you but if that is the case….it’s nice to meet you Ben Solo, I’m Poe Dameron….I look forward to getting to know you.”

Poe felt his hand being squeezed affectionately. His eyes met Ben’s. The scavenger's smile was just as bright as Poe remembered, beautiful too. Ben even had this bright sparkle in his eye he never seen before. The resistance pilot did not have Force but he sensed Ben was getting the realization he was home.

“It’s nice to meet you Poe Dameron,” Ben sighed happily, “I look forward to getting to know you too.”

The only thing Poe could think about as he stared into Ben’s eyes, he longer had to wonder what could have been. It was happening.

* * *

“LEIA!” A voice jolted through the ship.

Ben must have fallen asleep when the ship landed because suddenly he was awoken by the Poe yelling at the Scavenger’s father to slow down. Ben shot out of bed and saw his father run down the hall and out of the ship. Poe was standing at the top of the ramp of the Falcon. Ben walked to Resistance pilot’s side as he watched his father run into the arms of a small familiar looking woman.

“Han, put me down!” she cried as the old man lifted her in air and spun her around to kiss her, “you need to see a doctor.”

“Your father amazes me Ben,” Poe mused for a moment, “not even Carbonite could keep him away from your mother.”

Ben took a sharp breath as soon as he heard the word mother. His heart leapt as he looked at the couple. His father had turned to point at Ben standing, watching the scene. The smaller women turned to hug her husband tight, but her eyes seemed to be in disbelief, trying to see if it was real..

“That’s my mother,” Ben sighed in awe, “She’s beautiful.”

“Well don’t just stand there, go hug her,” Poe said.

Ben turned for a second and gave the man who saved him from the lonely hell that was Jakku and smiled brightly. Not even a moment later he turned kiss Poe on the cheek.

“Thanks….for bringing me home,” Ben gratefully acknowledged.

Poe only smiled as Ben ran down the ramp of The Falcon and into the waiting arms of his parents. He embraced his parents the two people he longed to find and know by wrapping his arms around them pulling them close.

True there were so many questions he needed to answer. So many memories of them and Poe he needed to recover. So many dangers that loomed over him. 

But for now he had the one thing he had always wanted. He was home and nothing was going to stop him from cherishing the feeling.


End file.
